Herbal Tea Health Benefits

Herbals teas, or teas made primarily without using the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, are made from many different sources and often include blends of a few different varieties.

Herbal teas rely on their primary ingredients for flavor and aroma, but many commercially available herbal teas will include camellia sinensis leaves as a base, using just a few herbal additives to give the tea its herbal qualities.

Herbal teas have often been touted for their medicinal qualities, even as far back as ancient times. In China, over 4,000 years ago, herbal teas have been brewed for a variety of purposes, from cleansing the body of toxins to fighting an annoying cold. Today, there are many varieties of herbal teas available, and many other recipes which exist for brewing your own herbal teas from plants you might find in your own garden.

The health benefits and medicinal qualities of herbal tea are generally not evaluated by the modern medical world, but nonetheless many practitioners of herbal tea expound upon its usefulness in medicine. Herbal tea made with dandelions, for instance, is regarded as a useful diuretic and cleansing agent. Hawthorn leaf tea is known by herbal tea practitioners for its supposed ability to lower cholesterol and improve one’s circulatory system, as well as being a good source of anti-oxidants (like regular tea).

Tea made from licorice roots is a particularly well-rounded herbal tea, purportedly having the ability to soothe anything from a sour stomach to a sore throat to congested sinuses. Licorice tea is also used to relieve pollen allergies and menstrual cramps, as well.

However, when using or making your own herbal teas, it’s important to be aware that some plants have toxins which are potentially harmful. For instance, a particularly potent herbal tea is made using bark and flowers from wild plum trees. The bark and flowers of plum trees are naturally poisonous and can sicken humans, and when used in excess amounts, the tea can be toxic.